GAO Report Targets EPA’s Fine Particle Monitoring Program
With the establishment of new air quality standards for fine particles, EPA launched a million nationwide monitoring network to identify areas that exceed the standards.
The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, commenced a review of problems encountered during the first year of the monitoring program.
The report found that rapid deployment of the monitoring network led to numerous operational problems such as monitors that failed to operate in very cold weather, filters contaminated from leaky seals, and data lost due to monitor computer failures. EPA has worked with the monitor manufacturers and the States to correct these problems.
In addition, the report found that EPA responded to recommendations from a National Academy of Sciences March 1998 report by reprogramming some of the money from the mass-only monitoring network to fund other activities such as speciation monitorng and continuous monitoring.
The GAO report, entitled, “EPA’s Actions to Resolve Concerns With the Fine Particulate Monitoring Program” was issued in August 1999.
To locate the report, go to:
http://www.gao.gov/ and search for report number: GAO/RCED-99-215.
